Ben's current ranking among quarterbacks.

If you haven't noticed a lot of the elite quarterbacks are not have such good seasons. Brees is not Brees anymore. Peyton is crap. Rogers isnt really having that great of a year. Cam is emerging. Brady has even looked human the last few weeks.

I think we can officially start to make the argument that he is currently the best quarterback in the NFL.

Him and Brady are the only QBs that have been playing well all season. Ben's missed a few games, but when hes in there and hes healthy like he has been against the raiders browns seahawks and colts, Ben is just throwing up 300-400+ yards on a regular basis. His passes are dead accurate, he literally is playing the best football of his career right now and just getting better with age. Brady's age will start to come into play soon.

We might be able to legit say we have the #1 qb in the NFL for a few years.

Elite is a loose term in the NFL.

All the qbs you mention are in the upper echelon. They're all interchangeable on any given Sunday.

Having said that this season has proved it beyond a shadow of a doubt that Ben is the Steelers. Sure AB is great but he's only great when Ben plays.
It's been proven the majority of the season Rodgers needs Nelson.
And lastly its been proven the last game and a few minutes that Brady is a shell of himself without Edleman and Gronkowski.

The Steelers will only go as far as Ben takes them. Sadly had he not been hurt I think he'd be leading in almost all statistical categories and the wins would reflect that as they'd be tied with the Bengals or a game back going into Sunday.
Alas you can't change it; its football and injuries happen.

SteelersNorth wrote:

Elite is a loose term in the NFL.

All the qbs you mention are in the upper echelon. They're all interchangeable on any given Sunday.

Having said that this season has proved it beyond a shadow of a doubt that Ben is the Steelers. Sure AB is great but he's only great when Ben plays.
It's been proven the majority of the season Rodgers needs Nelson.
And lastly its been proven the last game and a few minutes that Brady is a shell of himself without Edleman and Gronkowski.

The Steelers will only go as far as Ben takes them. Sadly had he not been hurt I think he'd be leading in almost all statistical categories and the wins would reflect that as they'd be tied with the Bengals or a game back going into Sunday.
Alas you can't change it; its football and injuries happen.

I agree with your line about the WRs being great when they are playing with Ben. I keep hearing from non-Steelers fans: "yeah but look at the receivers Ben has..." We saw the difference in AB with Ben and the back ups, and don't mean to say AB isn't a top receiver, he is. Ben is just able to pull so much more out of him and the others. Seattle game AB is covered well, Bryant has an off game, Ben turns to Wheaton and pulls a 200 yard game from him. Other games he's been able to turn to Heath and Williams. A lot of QB's are less effective when a top WR is hurt or made a non-factor by the defense.

If you look back over Ben's career every group of WR he's had seem very good and I think he is the one raising everyone's game.

This is probably the best group of receivers Ben has had but as everyone has said so far they will only play to there peak when Ben is in the game. People talk about Peyton being a student of the game but I don't think Ben gets enough credit for his knowledge. Sure he holds onto the ball too    long sometimes but man what he is able to do under pressure is not matched by any of the so called elites.
Anyone who says he's not in the top 3 right now is crazy. Of course we think he's the best right now because we watch him every week. That and the fact that he is the best currently.

Ben has always been placed on the second shelf by the self proclaimed experts. I seriously believe him when he says he could care less. As Steelers fans we should all be used to this by now. Embrace flying under the radar because when Ben gets his 3rd ring, that will silence the nay sayers...

SoCalFan wrote:

Ben has always been placed on the second shelf by the self proclaimed experts. I seriously believe him when he says he could care less. As  Steelers fans we should all be used to this by now. Embrace flying under the radar because when Ben gets his 3rd ring, that will silence the nay sayers...

Thats the thing though, now Ben's name is starting to come up with brady, rodgers etc because hes still in his prime and other are declining.

All in all I know it doesn't really matter what people think I just think its nice that he is finally getting the credit he deserves.

Recognition is nice and over the last few years his name is brought up on occasion, but always put on the back burner. How could anyone ignore what he has done as of late???

SoCalFan wrote:

Recognition is nice and over the last few years his name is brought up on occasion, but always put on the back burner. How could anyone ignore what he has done as of late???

Anyone that watches the game knows he is an absolute warrior and a leader. His long ball is deadly.

I'm far from a homer regarding Ben and I've had my criticisms of him in the past (fair criticism, I'd like to believe), but right now I have to say that he's one of the top two or three QBs in the NFL. The way he's playing right now, an argument can be made that he's the best.

I don't care where he ranks among current QBs; he's exactly what the Steelers need at that position.

Cam Newton is playing great. He is probably the leader in the clubhouse for MVP.

All the great quarterbacks do it their own way. They all have their own strengths and they all have more than one way to beat you. It's what separates them from everyone else. They are all better at digesting the information they get pre-snap, changing plays and protections at the LOS, and then delivering the ball accurately based on everything that happened before that, and the quick recognition of the defense after the snap.

There's a lot going on and a lot of information to process very quickly. Not many can do that. Cam is different because he has vastly improved his play from the pocket, and he uses his athleticism to beat defenses with his legs as well.

I don't know where Ben ranks right now, but I know it's very high on the list. He's been there for a while but a lot of experts didn't see it because he didn't have weapons around him, had a horrible offensive line, and didn't put up ridiculous stats. That doesn't change the fact that he was great for a long time. Add to that his great postseason record and his ability to generate comebacks and you have an all-time great player.

It's nice that others are noticing, but I've never cared what the talking heads and experts say. Ron Jaworski is considered an expert. He played the position. He watches more tape than anyone, and he doesn't know shit about rating quarterbacks.

Watching Ben play with my own eyes with the talent around him, and having the success this team has had with him at the helm tells me all I need to know about how good he is compared to other quarterbacks.

Oh, I forgot to mention ... FIRE HALEY!

Unlike QBs such as Bradshaw who initially were tagged as game managers but over time were regarded with greater esteem, Ben is never going to get out completely from under the shadow of the allegations of sexual assault

Forget the moronic fans of opposing teams who call him Rapelisberger -  Goodell went out of his way to trash Ben the week before the Green Bay - Steelers Super Bowl (while saying Mike Vick winning the Super Bowl and being MVP would be "pretty cool") and commentators still qualify praise of Ben with qualifying words such as "regardless of what you think of him"

Given the NFL's sensitivity to sexual assault and domestic violence the league and its media shills will look for anyone else to anoint as the best QBs in the league (in addition to Rodgers) other than Ben, regardless of where Ben ranks in quantitative lists, since they have a product to sell to the casual fans to maximize ratings

Right now, I'd beg Ben as tied for third best with Cam.

The_Joker wrote:

Right now, I'd beg Ben as tied for third best with Cam.

Who's ahead of him?
I said in my first post they're all interchangeable on any given Sunday where one can outplay the other.
So in answering my own question I don't put anyone ahead of him based solely on the fact its pure opinion.

That's why I don't play fantasy football cause if I did Philip Rivers would be considered one of the best qbs in the NFL.

The one "knock" on Ben since his debut was that his deep ball wasn't so great when compared to his 20 to 30 yd. accuracy and velocity.

But over the years he's worked hard at developing that part of his game and he now has one of the better deep balls in the league and the bonus is that he also has some great deep field receivers to go with that.

Both Brown and Bryant say that the thing they like about Ben's deep ball is how much air he gets under it which allows them time to adjust and make plays.  
According to ESPN, Ben is leading Palmer, Newton and Tyrod taylor in the stats for QB's with a 10-yard or better average pass distance.

Maybe Ben will never match Bradshaw's 70-yard rainbows, but he's close and better still he's very accurate and I'll take accuracy over distance any day.

SteelersNorth wrote:

The_Joker wrote:

Right now, I'd beg Ben as tied for third best with Cam.

Who's ahead of him?

Brady and Rodgers, imo.

The_Joker wrote:

SteelersNorth wrote:

The_Joker wrote:

Right now, I'd beg Ben as tied for third best with Cam.

Who's ahead of him?

Brady and Rodgers, imo.

really!? WOW!
I can't put a guy that's a cheat nor could I put someone that gets free passes for his lacklustre play when it COUNTS! ahead of Ben.
But then again that one pass may win him MVP, just because of who it is.

I can accept they're together but ahead of Ben there's no chance.
But I get it you've bought into the media hype surrounding each player since they're featured nightly on ESPN and NFL Network so it is what it is.
You're entitled to your opinion.

Brady is a cheater, on a team that's been caught cheating multiple times. I'd never have him in a top anything. I do think he's a good QB, but his record is blemished in my eyes.

I think Ben is the best quarterback in the league right now, followed closely by Rodgers, and Brees. I'm not throwing Cam Newton up there yet because this is his first really good season. Roethlisberger, Rodgers, and Brees have 4 rings between them. Newton has zilch.

LambertWardSteel wrote:

I keep hearing from non-Steelers fans: "yeah but look at the receivers Ben has..."

The fact that Antonio Brown's five-catch/50-yard streak ended the moment Ben Roethlisberger didn't play says it all about who really makes the offense go. Next time anybody talks up the WRs, just drop that knowledge on them, along with the fact that Santonio Holmes and Mike Wallace both suddenly became nobodies without Roethlisberger throwing them the ball.

solardave wrote:

People talk about Peyton being a student of the game but I don't think Ben gets enough credit for his knowledge.

I was elated when I heard Cris Collinsworth relay to a national audience what Robert Mathis said about Roethlisberger: "I'll tell you one thing about Ben: He doesn't get enough credit for his intellectual approach to the game." It's about fucking time people heard that, especially other Steeler fans, oddly (and sadly) enough.

The only QB playing as well as Ben right now is Brady. Rogers has had a bad year. Cam's having a good year but he hasn't proven him self yet. I have Ben and Brady in my fantasy league and when Ben is playing Ben starts and ends up getting more fantasy points usually. This is probably the first season a real argument can be made for Ben due to Peytons decline and Roger's slump and Bradys and Brees age. I think Ben and Rogers are the only ones in their prime right now and I think Ben is out performing everyone. 350-450 yards every week is some top notch shit.

ImperialFan wrote:

The only QB playing as well as Ben right now is Brady. Rogers has had a bad year. Cam's having a good year but he hasn't proven him self yet. I have Ben and Brady in my fantasy league and when Ben is playing Ben starts and ends up getting more fantasy points usually. This is probably the first season a real argument can be made for Ben due to Peytons decline and Roger's slump and Bradys and Brees age. I think Ben and Rogers are the only ones in their prime right now and I think Ben is out performing everyone. 350-450 yards every week is some top notch shit.

Fantasy football is a joke, it gives people that misguided approach to thinking who is better than who.
If I went with the 'fantasy' football mentality that would mean Rivers is one of the best in the NFL no? Reality is he stinks.
Although you'll get the oh he doesn't have a good oline...Ben had the WORST online in recent memory in '08 and won it all, so can't use that excuse.
Oh wait Rivers doesn't have anyone to throw too...he's got HGH Gates still but regardless if he's THAT good he makes the other guys around him THAT much better. That's just not the case cause he's not THAT good.
And Bress captain of the garbage time yards...and master of the 7 wins yearly in the worst division in football. I'll Pass.
And side note he's passed for 5k in yards twice (I'm counting last year since he was 48 away) and has missed the playoffs twice. If you throw for that many yards you'd better make the playoffs.

I just find it funny how people get misguided by fantasy football. Its comical really

Ben has not played enough this year to be crowned the best - not by anyone outside of Steeler Nation. In a single game setting, if an impartial person had to pick one QB this year, He'd be top 3.

IMO, in no order, I'd put Brady, Ben and Carson Palmer as the top 3 this year. I still don't trust either Cam or the Panthers.

Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger are alone in their own tier right now. I want to put Cam Newton in that group, but I have to see him do what he's doing consistently across multiple seasons before I can.

SteelersNorth wrote:

The_Joker wrote:

SteelersNorth wrote:

The_Joker wrote:

Right now, I'd beg Ben as tied for third best with Cam.

Who's ahead of him?

Brady and Rodgers, imo.

really!? WOW!
I can't put a guy that's a cheat nor could I put someone that gets free passes for his lacklustre play when it COUNTS! ahead of Ben.
But then again that one pass may win him MVP, just because of who it is.

I can accept they're together but ahead of Ben there's no chance.
But I get it you've bought into the media hype surrounding each player since they're featured nightly on ESPN and NFL Network so it is what it is.
You're entitled to your opinion.

Brady is undoubtably a cheater on a corrupt franchise. But the guy is taking 3 steps maximum before the ball is put out to receivers and moves the ball down the field with ease. Maybe not so much these past two games, but he was almost machine like the first half of the season.

Now knowing Brady, there's probably some way he's got an unfair advantage, just haven't caught it yet.

Now with Rodgers I share your same sentiment. Rodgers imo is overrated as hell, and I imagine his less than elite play this year will knock him ALLLLL the way down to idk.. #4 on the Top 100 players of 2015. Cuz the media rides his nuts.


Btw I'm a "what have you done for me lately" kind of guy when looking at QBs. So in 2015. Big Ben, Brady, and not Rodgers and it pains me to say this, but Dalton, have had good QB play. Dalton is #1 for passer rating on a 10-2 team. Brady also on a 10-2 team. Big Ben is in that top 3 only because of my personal bias and because he's doing things that the other guys aren't. If our defense, and at one point our kicker, were solid for the first half of the season than even people outside of Steelers Nation would give him more props.

However if I were just a casual football fan and I looked at only the present production. It'd be Brady, Dalton, and Newton. Thank god I'm not cuz I just threw up a little in my mouth.